The 1993 Mazda 626ES Is a Silky Smooth Piece of History

It’s interesting how the saying “competition improves the breed” perfectly captures the action in today’s mid-size four-door-sedan market. I’m not sure if it was Charles Darwin, Charles Barkley, or Charlie the Tuna who said it, but it’s clear that no-quarter competition is breeding a high order of automotive excellence. The general level of quality in this category is impressive, not just in terms of fit and finish, but in other qualities as well. It’s no surprise that the Honda Accord, Ford Taurus, and Toyota Camry are topping the charts in nationwide sales. We recently had a family four-door face-off, titled “Solid-Citizen Sedans,” in June 1992, and it confirmed this emphasis on excellence.

It’s true that with so much volume in this segment, this fall will see several high-stakes launches of sedans straight into the competitive teeth of the Accord-Taurus-Camry troika. Chrysler is betting big on the 1993 LR-platform family sedans, while Nissan hopes the Altima four-door will soar where the Stanza stumbled. Even Mazda, which is known for niche products that emphasize the fun of driving and emotional connections with automobiles, still leans on the middle-of-the-road 626 four-door sedan as its largest seller. It’ll be interesting to see how these launches fare in the face of such fierce competition.

I was impressed by the Mazda 626 sedan’s design and capabilities. Like its predecessors, the new model shares its front-drive platform with Mazda’s MX-6 and Ford’s Probe sports coupes. The back seat of the four-door is notably more spacious than the two-door versions. The engine options include a 2.0-liter four and a 2.5-liter V-6. For our test, we chose the powerful ES with a five-speed manual gearbox and additional features, including leather interior, anti-lock brakes, a sunroof, and a CD player. The price tag for our loaded test car was $22,030, which is still more affordable than a similarly equipped Toyota Camry SE. Overall, the Mazda 626 is a standout car in its lineup.

The Mazda 626 sedan is truly impressive due to its design and capabilities. The new model shares its front-drive platform with Mazda’s MX-6 and Ford’s Probe sports coupes, just like its predecessors. The four-door version’s back seat is notably more spacious than the two-door version. The car has two engine options, a 2.0-liter four and a 2.5-liter V-6. We tested the car’s ES version, which has a five-speed manual gearbox, leather interior, anti-lock brakes, a sunroof, and a CD player. Our test car had additional features that made the price tag reach $22,030, which is still more affordable than a similarly equipped Toyota Camry SE. Overall, the Mazda 626 is a standout car in its lineup.

Additionally, despite having all these options, the Mazda 626 is still relatively lightweight. It weighs only 2894 pounds, a modest weight considering all the features. The V-6 engine’s fluid and free-spinning torque delivery can take the car from rest to mile-a-minute cruise in just 7.3 seconds, outgunning any Accord and outpacing the Camry SE and the Nissan Maxima SE, and only losing to a Taurus that says “SHO” on its tail. The 626ES’s top speed is 128 mph, and it has a skidpad grip of 0.80 g, both of which are impressive.

After testing the Mazda 626 sedan, we were hard-pressed to find any significant flaws. However, we did notice one characteristic that may surface in rare circumstances. A determined, max-effort flogging down fast and unpredictable looping canyon roads may cause the 626ES to misbehave. Entering a corner too hard, where the driver has to suddenly take their foot off the gas and abruptly hit the brakes after the car is already well-heeled over in the bend, can cause the car to tuck its nose, slough its protective understeer, and threaten to get sideways. However, this action is not uncommon in front-drive cars, and only the most ham-fisted drivers are likely to get into trouble. A little unwinding of the wheel and moderating the brake pedal generally restores order. Overall, the Mazda 626 is a fantastic car that is a standout in its lineup with only minor vices that are easy to manage.

In terms of visual appeal, the Mazda 626 sedan may not be as striking as some of Mazda’s other recent offerings. However, the car’s greenhouse, C-pillars, and fender line give off echoes of the 929’s voluptuousness. Inside, some plastic expanses may look a bit vast and unbroken, but the shapes are still pleasant, and the layout and finish are clean and functional. One of the best features of the car is the open and accessible view out over the 626’s low cowl. The front seatbacks have modest side bolsters that form a broad, shallow wedge, accommodating torsos of most any girth. Additionally, the trunk capacity and shape are decent, although luggage must fit through a rather shallow opening. Overall, the Mazda 626 is a well-designed car that has a few minor flaws that do not detract from its overall appeal.

Although the Mazda 626 sedan is a mainstream, mid-size car, the 626ES remains true to Mazda’s niche-marketing strategy by offering an unusually generous serving of performance and refinement for the class. The car’s design, features, and capabilities are impressive and suggest that the car could easily compete in a higher class. In fact, the ES model is so well designed that it could easily wear an Amati badge, even though Mazda denies that its upcoming luxury division will offer a sedan based on the 626 platform. Overall, the Mazda 626 is an excellent car that offers performance and refinement that is more commonly found in higher-end vehicles.

Photo Source: Mazda USA